College Football
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Atlantic Coast Conference has changed one of its final tiebreakers that could determine who plays in the championship game.
League spokesman Mike Finn said Tuesday the seventh tiebreaker now will be an analytics company’s ranking of the teams.
He says ACC athletic directors voted over the summer to switch from the next-to-last College Football Playoff rankings because that poll is released the night of Tuesday, Nov. 29, leaving too little preparation time for the Dec. 3 title game.
It could become an issue if No. 3 Louisville, No. 5 Clemson and No. 13 Florida State each finish 11-1, go 7-1 in ACC play and are 1-1 against each other.
The rankings are developed by SportSource Analytics.
NFL
NEW YORK – Despite missing key players, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers are off to fast starts so far this season.
The Patriots are 2-0 while playing without Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. And the Steelers have the same record even without running back Le’Veon Bell, who is suspended for the first three games of the season.
Pittsburgh and New England have something else in common: They also share the top spot in the latest AP Pro32 poll released on Tuesday.
The Denver Broncos, who are also 2-0, got three first-place votes and are No. 3 overall with 365 points. The Broncos will have their first road game of the season on Sunday when they travel to Cincinnati.
SAN DIEGO – The San Diego Chargers signed running back Dexter McCluster to replace the injured Danny Woodhead.
The move was announced Tuesday. To make room on the roster, the Chargers waived wide receiver-kick returner Isaiah Burse.
McCluster has played six NFL seasons with Kansas City and Tennessee. He was a Pro Bowler in 2013.
Woodhead is out for the season after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee in Sunday’s victory against Jacksonville.
The Chargers (1-1) visit Indianapolis (0-2) on Sunday.
LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Chicago Bears linebacker Lamarr Houston, a native of Colorado Springs, will miss the rest of the season because of a torn ACL in his left knee.
Head coach John Fox confirmed the injury to WBBM-AM 780 on Tuesday night.
Houston was one of a long line of Bears hurt in Monday’s 29-14 loss to Philadelphia, along with quarterback Jay Cutler (sprained right thumb).
Houston clutched his knee and was tended to on the field after trying to rush the quarterback in the second quarter.
He tore the ACL in his right knee celebrating a late sack in a blowout loss at New England in October 2014.
Hockey
TORONTO – Henrik Lundqvist made 36 saves and Anton Stralman scored his first goal of the World Cup of Hockey, helping Sweden beat Finland 2-0 on Tuesday.
Loui Eriksson added an insurance goal into an empty Finnish net with 2.6 seconds remaining in the third.
With the win, Sweden (2-0-0) has a firm hold on the top seed in Group B while Finland (0-2-0) is facing long odds for advancing to the semifinals.
Tuukka Rask, starting in the Finnish goal over Pekka Rinne, stopped 27 shots.
Associated Press
